Did Tuffy from Hum Aapke Hain Kaun turn you into a dog-lover? Did you find Junior from Entertainment very entertaining? Did Handsome, the pigeon from Maine Pyar Kiya make your heart go aflutter? Were you touched by Ramu the elephant’s sacrifice in Haathi Mere Saathi? Or are you the one who enjoys monkey tricks on the roadside or animals performing in a circus? Or do you love listening to that parrot in your cage? If you answered to any of these questions with a Yes, then this article surely is for you!

We are well aware how animals have been the friends of humans, since the ancient times. They have helped men in food, transportation, communication and labor. But this friendship seems to be conveniently forgotten by man. Today, the sole purpose of animals in human lives is for his entertainment and in helping him out in tiring labor. We humans, tired with our busy schedules and leading boring lives get so engrossed in entertainment that we don’t realize the cruelty meted out to animals in the process. Not all animals are recipients of the love and care that some pets are lucky enough to get. They are made to toil in the harsh sun, heavy rain and the chilly winds.

The animals that star in films surely find fans amidst the audience, but what people seldom know is the harsh way in which they are trained and taught to act their roles. The police dogs that you see sniffing out suspected criminals or explosives planted by terrorists probably lead the worst possible life, they have to be on duty at any point of time, be it day or night, summer or winter, they have to venture into environments that pose a threat to their lives. And still these loyal friends of ours don’t get either food or our time, love and attention.

Now let me ask you a question: How do we benefit from animals?

Animals like horses, donkeys and elephants are still used to carry loads for us. Farmers still use bullocks to plough their field. We still depend on cows and goats for milk, on sheep for fur, on hens for eggs and meat. We all know this, right?

Now think for a second and answer this: What do they get in return from us?

No prizes for guessing: We all know that these poor souls suffer in silence but get nothing in return from us.

Just because they can’t stand up and speak for themselves like we humans do, doesn’t mean that we treat them in this manner. We claim that animals are our friends. But the way we behave, we are professing that they are our slaves. Over the time owing to the increasing cases of animal abuse, Organisations like Animal Welfare Board of India, Federation of Indian Animal Protection Organization, etc. have been set up in India. They have laid down rules and regulations on how animals should be treated. But even now, we so often get to hear about cases of animal abuse – not just in India, but all over the world (The Yule festival being 1 example that faced opposition worldwide). The reason being as simple as this: the organisations single-handedly cannot put an end to such crimes. They need help from responsible citizens like you and me.

So the next time you come across an animal not well-cared for, please take out time to find out its story and reporting it to the authorities. It’s the minimum we could do for our furry friends. But again, it is too much to expect such generous action from humans who seem incapable of protecting even fellow humans.